At what temperature do insects stop flying.

brent · Tue Jan 04, 2022 2:05 pm

Hi all. What temperature prevents insects from flying? Just want to be prepared. Once I see my first arrival I'll flick some insects to try to train it. Last year I wasn't successful at all in getting them to take any. Brent

CTMartins · Tue Jan 04, 2022 3:03 pm

most bugs won't be active at temperatures that dip below 40 degrees Fahrenheit

Dave Reynolds · Tue Jan 04, 2022 3:52 pm

... Good Question ,, If I was to guess I would say around, 45 to 50 degrees. But it is only a guess..

Dave

C.C.Martins · Tue Jan 04, 2022 3:56 pm

Brent,
Make it a mission to train them, on and off id try...if they didn't take after 100 or so id stop. Last year they went after the bugs when chicks were present.
Keep after it, all you need is one martin to take to it, after that its on.
They will be hungry and tired when they show, the gulf is a big place.

sugarcreek · Tue Jan 04, 2022 5:51 pm

Agree if its under 50 degrees they will need insects......Usually day 2-3 of cold weather under 50 will get them started and if you get them flipped up close to where they are sitting they'll bite.....You wont save them all but if you can save 1 its worth it.

Thomabear · Tue Jan 04, 2022 11:00 pm

Same here Brent. I'll be working hard at training them this year. I read somewhere that if insects are available they probably won't take hand tossed insects requiring cold weather to train them. Not sure if that's true. If successful training them I'll also try to take it a step further to get them to eat scrambled eggs, meal worms and crickets out of an elevated dish. I was unsuccessful at both methods last year.

brent · Wed Jan 05, 2022 12:45 am

Thomabear, I'll let you know if I'm successful. Keep me posted on yours. I'd like to see it first hand. Brent

Thomabear · Wed Jan 05, 2022 1:41 am

You got it Brent

C.C.Martins · Wed Jan 05, 2022 7:48 am

Thomabear,
last year the martins here learned to catch flipped crickets and june bugs around april, they were just hungry. try as often as you can. It will eventually work.

Jones4381 · Wed Jan 05, 2022 9:37 am

in the 40's there are not many around in the mid-atlantic

Dave Reynolds · Sat Jan 08, 2022 3:10 pm

Jones4381 wrote: ↑
Wed Jan 05, 2022 9:37 am
in the 40's there are not many around in the mid-atlantic

...
..

... Great to see that you had a pair in 2021.. Hopefully they will return this year for ya.. Good luck..
I’m rooting for ya.... I had one pair for two years before I jumped to 8 pair the third year...

Dave

Jones4381 · Sat Jan 08, 2022 9:51 pm

Dave Reynolds wrote: ↑
Sat Jan 08, 2022 3:10 pm

Jones4381 wrote: ↑
Wed Jan 05, 2022 9:37 am
in the 40's there are not many around in the mid-atlantic
...
..

... Great to see that you had a pair in 2021.. Hopefully they will return this year for ya.. Good luck..
I’m rooting for ya.... I had one pair for two years before I jumped to 8 pair the third year...

Dave

Very Kind...Thank you and I'm hoping for the best.